Palisade, Colorado 2009 Calendar of Events

Plan your 2009 visit to Palisade today. This year will be chock full of activities to enjoy in Colorado's Wine Country. The moderate temperatures, fruit orchards, vineyards and a quaint town make for activities galore. Whether you come in spring, summer, fall or winter, Palisade, Colorado, will have something to offer you. Here is the 2009 Calendar of Events, courtesy of PalisadeTourism.com :

April
April 15-19

29th Annual Peach Blossom Art Show

The Palisade Art Lovers Peach Blossom Art Show is one of the largest judged art shows in the Grand Valley, boasting nearly 125 artists and exhibiting more than 400 works of art each year. This fine art show exhibits everything from oil paintings to watercolors, pastels, batik, photography, and more. The show draws artists from throughout western Colorado and is the perfect gallery to showcase the quality, talent and variety of work this valley produces. Many awards are given by a notable judge, carefully selected each year. The show is set up in an inviting, gallery type setting with soft music, live greenery and refreshments for visitors. The admission is free. Entry forms and a prospectus is available on this website.

Contact Lise MacGregor, Show Chairman, for questions and information at 970-255-1553.

April -May
April 25-26, May 16-17

Barrel Into Spring Barrel Tastings

A couple of weekends of self-guided tours, wine tasting and delicious food brought to you by the members of the Grand Valley Winery Association. This is your chance to discover wines in the making and see how your favorites are made.

This self-guided tour includes several participating wineries. Each winery will pair delicious foods with their wines.

May
May 9

Palisade Bike Festival

The Bike Festival combines the Palisade Classic Mountain Bike Race and the Fruit Loop Cycling Tour for a day of bikes, bikes and more bikes!

The Palisade Classic Mountain Bike Race is an off-road competition and the Fruit Loop Cycling Tour offers three routes ranging from easy to challenging. You can also choose to ride in both events.

There is also a Grand Valley Bike Swap. Bring your bike, gear and wallet and buy, sell or swap gear. There is no charge to sell. For details, call Rapid Creek Cycles at (970) 464-9266 or Palisade Chamber of Commerce at (970) 464-7458.

May 30-31

3rd Annual Palisade Parade of Roses

Pavilion.Roses and Black Muscat champagne are on the brunch menu at Varaison Vineyards and Winery . The winery is releasing its inaugural champagne this weekend in conjunction with a rose “parade” competition amongst Palisade rose gardeners..

The Grand Junction chapter of the American Rose Society will judge the roses. Rose categories include two different classes: rose gardens that are five years or older, and those less than five years old. The varieties include hybrid tea roses, the best floribunda, best grandislora and best climbing or hedge roses.

June - September
June 21-Sept 20

Palisade Farmer's Market

The Town of Palisade is excited to announce the return of the Palisade Sunday Market. The market will feature local artisans, crafters, musicians, non-profit organizations, wineries and, of course, our wonderful Palisade produce! It will be located in downtown Palisade near the intersection of 3rd and Main. The market will be organized and sponsored by the Town of Palisade.

June
June, 12, 13, 14

Palisade Bluegrass & Roots Music Festival

Bluegrass, Folk, Acoustic Blues, Old-Time, Celtic, Singer/Songwriter & More!
The festival formerly known as the North Fork Bluegrass & Roots Music Festival in Hotchkiss, CO.

This is an acoustic music event made in the shade. --Right on the banks of the Colorado River in the west side of Riverbend Park. Festival features on-site camping, jam sessions and kids activities. Local wines, micro-brew, food and area artisans. Workshops for guitar, banjo, fiddle, mandolin, vocals, songwriting. Artisan demonstrations for adults and children. .
Easy access off Interstate-70.

July
July 4

Annual Independence Day Celebration

Fourth of July Family Celebration with a great parade and fun games and food in Palisade Memorial Park.

July 3-5

Reds, Whites, & Blues Festival, Varaison Vineyards

August
August 13-16

41st Annual Palisade Peach Festival

Ah, peaches – soft, sweet fruit with enough juice to run down your chin when you bite into one. Come and celebrate the peach with the 41st annual Palisade Peach Festival. The festival kicks off four days of fun-filled, entertaining events and features more than 100 food, art and craft vendors, live music, a children’s area and various culinary activities. And of course, lots of Palisade Peaches.

August 21-23

8th Annual Ravenshire Renaissance and Pirate Faire

Western Colorado Renaissance Festival welcomes everyone back for another year of festivities with the 8th annual Ravenshire Renaissance and Pirate Faire. The festival is fun for the whole family blending the Renaissance in the year 1550 and pirates of the 18th century. Dress up in period attire and just come as you are. Experience special activities, performances, vendors and food.

September
September 17-20

Colorado Mountain Winefest

Wine lovers unite! Thousands make the annual pilgrimage to Palisade to sample an array of Colorado wines and participate in a variety of events including workshops, wine and food pairing events, dueling chefs, grape stomps, winery tours, winemaker competitions, chocolate tasting, golfing, jazz concerts and artisan vendors.

Don’t forget the bike tour of the Valley. This 25-mile bike tour of Colorado’s wine country passes through the vineyards of the Western Slope and gives cyclists and opportunity to see the area’s wineries and fruit orchards. Participants can then attend the Winefest.

September 19

16th Annual Tour of the Vineyards

Come join us for a great great way to celebrate the start of fall, by joining in this bicycle tour of Colorado’s Wine Country. This 25-mile ride through the vineyards of the Western Slope (on paved roads with a few hills) gives cyclists an opportunity to pass by the area’s wineries, as well as acres of fruit orchards, located in the Grand Valley prior to the Colorado Mountain Winefest “Festival in the Park”.

December

Olde Fashioned Christmas

Turn back the clock with the nostalgia of Olde Fashioned Christmas in downtown Palisade. Beginning at noon, activities include street carolers, holiday music, wagon rides through downtown Palisade, as well as kids’ activities throughout the day. Tour some of Palisade’s Victorian homes or enter to win the Gingerbread House contest. The Gingerbread House showcase is open to the public.

There will be a parade and Christmas Tree Lighting taking place in downtown Palisade. Make it a Christmas to remember for all ages.

December 31

2nd Annual Varaison Vineyards New Year’s Eve Gala

Colorado Mountain Winefest Opens Today

Come join in the fun at Colorado Mountain Winefest 2008, September 19-21, 2008

---

Colorado Mountain Winefest is the fundraiser for the trade organization of grape growers and winemakers of Colorado, the Rocky Mountain Association of Vintners and Viticulturists (RMAVV), a 501(c)6 non-profit organization. All funds go towards education, seminars, research, and equipment purchases to improve the grape growing and winemaking of Colorado wines.

Thousands of wine lovers make the annual pilgrimage to Palisade to sample a growing array of Colorado wines and participate in a variety of events. 2008 events will include:

• Hands-on workshops
• Wine and food pairing events
• Dueling chefs
• Grape stomps
• Winery tours
• Winemaker competitions
• Chocolates and wine tasting
• Wine and dine experience
• Bicycle tour of the vineyards
• Shopping at artisan booths
• Jazz concerts
• The exclusive First Class Pass experience

Toast the grape harvest and raise your glass to Colorado's finest vintages at the state's oldest, largest and best wine festival, and the only festival held in the heart of Colorado's wine country.

For more information about specific events, click here.

Colorado Mountain Winefest Helps Fund State Enologist

Reason Number One you should attend The Colorado Mountain Winefest, September 18-21, 2008: It is more than just another wine and cheese event. It is even more than simply a showcase for local foods and appellations. There are dozens of other festivals fitting that bill all over the state.

You should come to Winefest because it is the premier fundraiser for Colorado winemakers and for the trade organization of state grape growers, the Rocky Mountain Association of Vintners & Viticulturists (RMVAA). All Winefest funds go towards education, seminars, research, and equipment purchases to improve the grape growing and winemaking of Colorado wines. If you like Colorado wine, coming to Winefest will literally make it better.

2007's funds went towards hiring a state enologist, or a scientist who studies all aspects of wine making.

According to a RMAVV press release, the proceeds from last year’s event supported the hiring of Dr. Steve Menke, the new Colorado resident enologist. Menke currently researches the unique characteristics of Colorado grapes, helps develop the Colorado wine brand and teaches enology classes at Colorado State University's Department of Horticulture and Landscape Architecture.

“Having our own enologist working with grape farmers to ensure they are growing the right grapes enables the small family farms to stay in business,” says Guy Parker, president of the RMVAA.

So, not only will Winefest be fun and an indulgence of the senses, it is the best way to support Colorado wines other than buying and drinking them.

See the full release here in Steamboat Magazine.

Judges Taste 96 Homemade Colorado Wines

Photo credit: Emily Anderson, Grand Junction Free Press.

This weekend Doug Caskey, the executive director of the Colorado Wine Industry Development Board, was one of a panel of judges evaluating amateur wines from around Colorado. According to the Grand Junction Free Press, the judges, "sniffed and sipped 96 wines made by 35 amateur winemakers, two-thirds of whom hail from the Western Slope." Under the headline, Judges stir, sniff, sip and spit the work of amateur winemakers in Palisade,"You can read the full article here.

The judging was done at the Palisade Community Center on Saturday. The winners of the competition will be announced Sunday, September 23, at the 17th Annual Colorado Mountain Wine Fest.